Written by Ashburn Ice House – West Rink – October 9, 2023 – DC Day 3 – 2010 Flames (MRYHA)
Congressional Cup Fall Classic
SemiFinal
#4 seed 2010 Flames at #1 Stamford Sharks
The 2010 Flames are made up of players born in 2010 and 2011. They are a U14 Minor 2 team (meaning there is a Minor 1 team ahead of them) in their home organization. I have called this team a development team for years. Yet, every year, this team seems to be a great place for players and families to land. Monday they played a very good team in the Congressional Cup Fall Classic SemiFinal, the Stamford Sharks (U14 Major), and lost, 9-1.
The 2010 Flames were 2-1 in pool play, while the Stamford Sharks were 3-0 and they had not even allowed a goal against over their three games. The Flames had scored 11 goals and allowed only 4 goals (all of which came in their loss to Clearwater). As it turns out, the Sharks were not only really good, they were all a year older than the Flames players.
While the Stamford Sharks were playing at a level higher than the #4 seed, the 2010 Flames continued to battle and compete. They ended up falling, 9-1 but learned a lot about their game on the way.
Ingalls and Rosenbeck were under siege all game. They gave their best and that’s all one can ask. There was one shot that Stamford took that would have likely gone through our goalie if they had been able to slide over in time. No worries. Everyone will learn and improve from the weekend.
- Flames goal – The ref had his arm in the air. There was going to be an icing call on the play but the Stamford relief goalie played the puck with an 8-0 lead to keep play moving. Down, 8-0, the 2010 Flames were still giving a great effort. Beal swooped in to provide some pressure on the goalie’s outlet pass. He happened to get his stick on the puck as the little disc traveled near the slot. Beal retrieved the pass that he picked off and tapped the puck into the wide open net. Beal unassisted. 8-1. (This was the first goal that Stamford had allowed in the tournament)
(MRYHA) 2010 Flames: 00 – 00 – 01 = 01
Stamford Sharks: 04 – 02 – 03 = 09
Stats from 4 games in DC. The 2010 Flames went 2-2, made the SemiFinal as the #4 seed. They played teams from Virginia, Delaware, Florida, and Connecticut. They did a great job!
DC Day 3
This is all I got.
I don’t know what most people think about travel hockey tournaments in general. Like what are their priorities for a long weekend of hockey somewhere else. I believe that our teams and hockey families these last several years have been about the kids, fun, hockey, winning, camaraderie, etc.
I like to look at the glass as half full, and preferably there would be at least another glass nearby, perhaps several. The more the merrier. As it relates to the travel hockey piece, I would rather see someone having the time of their life playing the game. I would like to see them on a team of players that celebrate every success, knowing that none of it is possible alone, and that perhaps many successes were just dreams days, months, or years before.
I have spent most of my life trying to be right. But I have realized that being right is not nearly as important as doing the right thing. I can agree to disagree with someone or better yet not even voice that at all and let things be, as most matters aren’t important enough to battle to the bitter end of who was right or wrong.
When it comes to doing right or wrong, that is different. As I wrote in DC Day 2, there was a mother who went to Napoleon for a son that didn’t deserve mercy, but she went to the source and asked for it. Our inclination, is to demand justice for those who have wronged us, but what if people met face to face and discussed the idea of mercy. Afterall, there is but one who was blameless (innocent of wrongdoing and without guilt). And I know for certain I was not that one.
I forget a lot of things. I learn a lot of things. I hope to at least remember and act upon the very best of things to learn. Many times I have learned a great deal and developed as a better version of myself through the mercy or compassion of another person or persons. Imagine this, one definition of mercy reads something like this – compassionate treatment of those in distress. Most likely people will not raise their hand willingly and let everyone know that they are in distress. But actions often tell us that someone might be in a painful situation, a state of danger, or in desperate need (these are three definitions of distress).
And, with this being what I have called a development team, perhaps there is a role for all of us, not just the coaches and teens. Development – to expand by a process of growth, or even, (I love this one) to cause to grow and differentiate along lines natural to its kind. With differentiate meaning – to become distinct or different in character.
Wow! Put all of that together. People (teens included) may be found in a painful situation or have a desperate need, and we could walk all over that and DEMAND JUSTICE. Or we could make sure that future behavior is just by showing compassion in order to help another expand by a process of growth and to become distinct or different in character along lines natural to its kind.
That’s a powerful key that we all hold. Sounds like good old fashioned community parenting to me. With, of course, community meaning something like this – joint ownership or participation – where we can all effectively take responsibility in the good and the bad. Preferably having each other’s backs to improve the overall good, one person at a time.
Development is not stationary. Neither is this team. I look forward to what this team can and will do, off the ice, as well as on the ice.
I was thinking about things like the letter “W”, which most American sports fans consider the most important letter. As it relates to their team, but then many recede to the letter “I”, because that is where many think that all things begin and end. This is where “I” somehow oversteps its bounds in relation to family or team.
When “I” steps out of line and starts answering for others there often develops a hole, a gap, a separation among a family or a team. That’s not usually a good thing. In fact, it’s a dividing thing. Are we not supposed to indivisible, one nation, one team, one hockey family. Me, I like the hole to be lost in the whole. As in the whole team, together. You know, like a community.
If we get lost anywhere, let it be in joint ownership and participation as a whole team. That alone will eliminate the hole and probably lead to a lot more “W’s” on and off the ice. That would be quite the development.
For some excellent pictures, please check out Nichole’s page and pictures, they are outstanding. Thank you Nichole.
DC Day 3 SF at (#1) Stamford Sharks
Walking through here, there are just no words. There are names. Names that are attached to lifetimes and legacies. Names that did so much more than just live and die. There is no earthly gratitude grand enough to compensate for the sacrifice given so that others did not have to.
Travel hockey to DC, 2023.
It’s about the kids. It’s about fun along the way. It’s about the team. It’s about the hockey family, and the encouragement of every players dream.
In this case it’s about 3 days in Washington, DC, and 50,000 steps taken to visit museums and the wonderful attractions throughout the city.
It’s about hotels, and schedules, and meals on the fly, and a pretty cool visit to an arena to watch the pros skate by.
It’s about a jump in the pool and laughs with a friend, or a visit to a pair of silos and with a live band at the end.
It’s about passes, and hits, and goals that don’t happen alone, and about parents repeating, “Get off of your phone.”
It’s about winning and losing, together all the way. And it’s about development and being better than yesterday.
It’s about driving across a bridge to see the river and design in bridges and buildings all around, and then wondering where 25 miles went as we laughed and clowned.
It’s about a pit stop for food and gas in Clinton, and skipping rocks on a stream that feeds the Raritan.
It’s about deer in the road and fields leading to barns, and the rolling hills between small towns with all of their charms.
It’s about the miles, the coffee stops, and the smells on the road to and from. Not forgetting to remembering from how far we’ve come.
It’s about getting home, finally, sluggish and tired. And then looking forward to the next gathering, completely inspired.
It’s about the coaches and families, and the memories of all that we did. But most of all it’s about the joy of kids being kids.
You can find more 2010 Flames material in these pieces, here. 2010 Manchester Flames.
The current look at my ‘hockey office’. So many hours spent in this space, tracking numbers and capturing season after season. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2023.
The beginning of every article. (C) 1inawesomewonder 2017.
The thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributors, mostly mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the schools, coaches, players, or characters listed in any of these blog posts. Or, maybe they do, but you would have to ask them directly.
Either way, “It’s a great day for hockey” ~ the late “Badger” Bob Johnson.